


caffeine (actually, cocoa) cold

by trohmenace



Category: Bandom, Fall Out Boy
Genre: M/M, Peterick, christmas drabble, just a fluffy christmas au as my gift to you
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-25
Updated: 2015-12-25
Packaged: 2018-05-09 04:29:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 680
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5525405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trohmenace/pseuds/trohmenace
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"you’re my new neighbor and we’ve never spoken but you saw me shoveling snow all day and i guess it must be pretty obvious how cold i am because you brought me a jacket and hot cocoa" au</p>
            </blockquote>





	caffeine (actually, cocoa) cold

If Patrick had any other option, he wouldn't still be shoveling snow at 6:30 on Christmas Eve, but his family was coming tomorrow, and _fuck_ , it could snow hard in Chicago sometimes.

And yeah, he might've been out here for four hours now, and his fingers might be going numb, but there was no way he was letting his mom pull into a driveway full of snow. Her constant nagging about him settling down with someone nice or finding a better job than the one at the music store was enough - he didn't want to give her anything else to add to that list.

He dropped his shovel for a second, pulling his hands up to his face. Slowly, he tugged off the soft gloves and puffed out a warm breath, rubbing them together. As long as his fingers weren't turning blue yet, he could stay out for a little longer.

A shiver passed through his small frame as a gust of wind blew through, and he pulled his scarf back up to his nose. Curling and uncurling his toes so they didn't go numb, he bent down to pick up his shovel again, but when he stood up to resume working, there was a stranger standing in front of him.

"Ah - !" Patrick exclaimed in surprise, stepping back and almost losing his grip on the shovel.

"Sorry," the stranger said sheepishly, shrugging slightly. "Didn't mean to startle you. I just saw you out here, and you looked cold, so I came to offer you this."

For the first time, Patrick let himself take in the situation. The man wasn't much taller than Patrick himself, though the huge coat might have made him seem bigger than usual. He had bleached blonde hair, deeply tan skin, and warm eyes the color of the hot cocoa the stranger was so generously offering to him.

Patrick accepted the mug gratefully, watching as the steam began to create fog on his glasses. Before he had a chance to thank the man, a heavy blanket was wrapped around his shoulders. His breath caught in his throat as the stranger tugged him slightly closer to pull it all the away around him, coaxing the shovel away and casting it aside.

"Thank you," Patrick breathed, praying that he could blame the cold for the blush tinging his cheeks. "You really didn't have to do that for me. I mean, we've never even spoken, and...and..."

"Don't worry about it," the stranger smiled softly at him. "My name's Pete. I'm new in the neighborhood, though you probably already knew that."

"Patrick," he murmured, smiling back. "Thank you again, but I should probably finish shoveling now. My family is coming tomorrow, and my mom seems to enjoy nagging me about everything. I mean, I love her, but -"

Whatever he had decided to say next was cut off from a chuckle by Pete, who just grinned and shook his head. "You don't know, do you? We're supposed to get like, four or five inches of snow overnight. It would be pointless to go to all of this work, and then have it snow again."

Patrick's face flushed an even deeper shade of red, and he dipped his head to hide it. _That's embarrassing._ "Of course."

Pete just chuckled again, playing with the ends of the blanket. "If you want, you can come have dinner with me at my place. I mean, you've been out here all day, and you're probably cold, and I have the fireplace on..."

Patrick glanced at the house across the street. It seemed small, yet cozy, and he couldn't resist the offering of a fireplace. "I think I'd like that."

He was met by a beaming grin, and fingers threading through those of his free hand. "I was hoping you'd say that."

Patrick's chest began to fill, and he couldn't help but smile back. Maybe the cold wasn't too bad, if it brought him handsome strangers with hot cocoa.

_I wonder if I'll have to hear Mom nagging about finding someone nice for me after all._


End file.
